title: Comparison of the single or double chest tube applications after pulmonary lobectomies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Draining of the chest cavity with two chest tubes after pulmonary lobectomy is a common practice. This study aimed to investigate whether using two tubes after a pulmonary lobectomy is more effective than using a single tube.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective randomised study included 100 consecutive patients who underwent lobectomy or bilobectomy for any pathological condition between May 2006 and November 2007. In the 50 patients in the 'single-tube group', only one 32F chest tube was inserted, and in the 50 patients in the 'double-tube group', two 32F chest tubes were inserted. Pre-, intra- and postoperative variables in both the groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre- and intraoperative characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The mean amount of drainage from chest tubes was 600+/-43.2cc in the single-tube group and 896+/-56.2cc in the double-tube group (p<0.001). The mean values of postoperative pain assessed on the visual analogue scale (VAS) in the early (second day) period were 4.28+/-0.21 in the single-tube group and 5.10+/-0.23 in the double-tube group (p=0.014). The VAS scores in the late (second week) period were 1.48+/-0.13 in the single-tube group and 2.00+/-0.17 in the double-tube group (p=0.01). All other related parameters were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Insertion of two chest tubes is not more effective than the insertion of a single chest tube after pulmonary lobectomy. Moreover, using a single tube is in fact more effective than using two tubes in that it causes less postoperative pain and less pleural fluid loss.
authors.affiliation: Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Teaching and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okur
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baysungur
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tezel
authors.forename: Gokcen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sevilgen
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ergene
authors.forename: Mertol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gokce
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halezeroglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies